ive got a maxtor 5t020h2 and its dying so i need to buy a new one. the only problem is that its 20gb and i want a huge hard drive like 320gb. could any one tell which one would be compatible and the same as the hard drive ive got now but just larger

Answer:
Since the maxtor 5t020h2 is an IDE drive, you’ll want to be sure that your new drive is also IDE. (That is the type of connector on the back of the drive)

You didn’t list what kind of computer this is going into, but if the computer only have a 20 gig drive to begin with, it is probably ancient. Because of that, there might be limitations in the BIOS that could prevent the computer from being able to see a drive as big as 320 gb. Often the limit is in the 100-120 gb range.

With an older computer like that, it is often superior to stay with a smaller internal drive, and instead add a gigantic external (USB) drive. i have several older PCs that are limited to under 100 gb internal drives that I run 1 teragig (thats 1024 gb) USB drives on with no problems.

IF you do go with a bigger internal drive, you’ll probably have to partition it into several sections (100-120gb each).

The only way to know what the limits of your personal are is to Google either the Personal computer model or the system board and look at its specs. There may also be a BIOS update available for the PC/board that’ll allow it to use bigger hard drives.

Answer:
For the simplest solution to your situation you can simply pull the hard disk out of your machine and take it to your local PC shop / Frys / Best Purchase / Newegg to find a replacement. This will ensure you get the right size and connector type for your hard drive. Since there are multiple interfaces for hard drives such as PATA, SCSI, SATA, etc. and not all hard drives are the same size, this will ensure you get the correct drive for your machine and will allow you to get any adapters you may need (your old drive might be more massive than the new drive). Your drive is most likely a 20 GB PATA with a wide grey 40 pin connector cable and is probably 3.5″ as these drives commonly are. If this is the case finding a replacement for your drive will be a easy task as many new drives meet these specifications.

For a price point comparison 320 GB drives are very close in cost to 500 GB drives.

On older systems the BIOS would have a limitation preventing them from seeing drives more massive than approximately 120 G.B. Your motherboard / Personal computer manufacturer might have an update that bypasses this otherwise you can simply create multiple partitions ( 3 x 100 GB drives showing in windows instead of 1 x 300 GB drive). Many places will install and set up your drive for a nominal fee.

Remember to back up your data before changing out your hard drives and be sure to have all your install disks and driver disks as well before you begin.

Answer:
if the 20gb is the orignal i am guesing almost 98% sure your mom board can only detect 120gb you can install a 500gb but the drive will show as 120gb and it will be a ide they never made 20gb sata hdd
Answer:
Any hard drive should be a compatible replacement, as long as you check if it's IDE or SATA. If you are unsure, ask a techie friend to advise.
Answer:
any hdd just check appropriate connections ie sata or pata